I had to get up real early for travel to Huntsville then a full day of meetings after I got there so didn't run today. I plan on doing an easy 4 miles tomorrow. The weather changed some but should still be good. It will be a little colder at the start but I think it will warm up quickly.

I think I have committed to a plan for the race after looking over the race profile and map. There are some late hills in the race and I want to try to finish strong so plan to go out a little easy and then seeing how I am doing around 18 miles. I have to remember that goal is to get the BQ which is 3:20 for me so have to make sure that I don't get carried away and start out to quickly then miss the BQ. So plan to go out around 7:30 and hopefully be able to run a negitive split.

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys."

- Emil Zatopek

"Running is a lot like life. Only 10 percent of it is exciting. 90 percent of it is slog and drudge."

- Dave Bedford, English distance runner who occasionally put in 200 miles a week in training

"If someone says, 'Hey, I ran 100 miles this week. How far did you run?' ignore him! What the hell difference does it make?.... The magic is in the man, not the 100 miles."

- Bill Bowerman

"A lot of people don't realize that about 98 percent of the running I put in is anything but glamorous: 2 percent joyful participation, 98 percent dedication! It's a tough formula. Getting out in the forest in the biting cold and the flattening heat, and putting in kilometer after kilometer."

- Rob de Castella

"In the '70's, I was a school teacher and trained at 5AM and 5PM. During wintertime, I never saw the sun."

Tom Fleming (one of the all time great American runners. Won the New York Marathon twice, took second at Boston two times.)

"There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people."

Bill Bowerman

Ok, that is all I have for you - good luck on Saturday - focus, concentrate on putting all your energy to running your very best, step by step, breath by breath, then, no matter the result, you will know you had nothing left to give.